[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 98 (Monday, July 24, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1497]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING DOROTHY BARKER OF CWA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GENE GREEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 24, 2006

  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of my 
long-time friends, Dorothy Barker. Though not a native Houstonian, she 
has been here longer than most. She came here in 1939 and is a proud 
graduate of Milby High School.
  Dorothy immediately went to work after graduation and moved around 
Texas with her husband, U.S. Army Air Force Sergeant Hugh Barker. In 
addition to being the mother of three children, Dorothy managed to have 
a variety of jobs to help support her family. She had a milk route in 
San Antonio, drove a city bus in Galveston, and was a ``motor pool'' 
employee at the Air Base in Dalhart, Texas.
  Finally, her family settled down in Houston and she became an 
employee of Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in 1945 and joined the 
Communication Workers of America the same year. In 2 short years, she 
became a job steward and became a chief steward in 1962.
  She was elected associate treasurer in 1972, which is when I met her 
and she has held that position ever since.
  Dorothy helped bring the CWA into the State of Montana in 1970 and I 
know personally, she has worked tirelessly to help increase union 
membership, protect labor rights, and get those of us who believe in 
good wages and benefits elected to office.
  Dorothy helped me the first time I ran for State representative and 
was elected in 1972. She has been a strong supporter ever since and I 
appreciate working with her over the last 32 years.
  She has attended all the formal training schools offered by CWA. She 
has attended steward's training, local officer training schools, 
leadership and advanced leadership schools, and the AFL-CIO labor law 
and advanced labor law courses.
  Her commitment to the CWA can never be questioned. She has served as 
a leader in all phases of local organizing drives, and all legislative 
and community service work. She has been a delegate to the last 18 CWA 
conventions and a delegate to the AFL-CIO Convention annually since 
1976.
  She was District 12 CWA Woman of the Year in 1981 and was CWA Woman 
of the Year for local 6222 in 1999.
  She currently serves as local 6222 coordinating officer for the 
legislative committee, finance committee, election committee, and 
public relations committee.
  She is vice-president of the Harris County AFL-CIO and chair of the 
trustees of the State AFL-CIO.
  I thank Dorothy Barker for her service to the working people in the 
Houston area and in Texas over the last 60 years and congratulate her 
on her retirement.

                          ____________________